August 2, 2011

There's so much New York-style pizza in town that we should be talking with accents. Let's remember that the guy who helped pioneer the thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizza movement here is John Ruffaine, who opened Giovanni's Old World New York Pizzeria 10 years ago.

"I'm just happy to still be here 10 years later," he said on the phone Monday.
So happy that Ruffaine has rolled back the price of his large (16-inch) cheese pizza from $17.95 to the 2001 price of $9.95. "If you build your own with your favorite toppings, it's a good way to get a very good deal," he said, and we agree.

The roll-back program runs through August at the two Giovanni's pizzerias in Sacramento: 5924 S. Land Park Drive (916-393-7001) and 6200 Folsom Blvd. (916-455-8831).

"I'm providing a style of pizza I grew up with in Brooklyn," Ruffaine said. "I'm making it with no shortcuts, from scratch and with ingredients imported from New York and Italy." That includes the extra-virgin olive oil.

If you're not in the mood for pizza, the Sicilian roasted chicken from a family recipe is a winner ($9.95 whole, $5.95 for a half).

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